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Veterinary medicine and science2023; doi: 10.1002/vms3.1197

Epidemiological study on equine coccidiosis in North and Northeast of Iran.

Abstract: Eimeria is a genus of protozoan parasites that infect many animal species, including horses. We conducted a cross-sectional study of indigenous breeds of horses from the North and Northeast of Iran to establish the prevalence and distribution of Eimeria species. Methods: Using standard coprological techniques, 340 faecal samples from randomly selected horses (141 from North Iran and 199 from Northeast Iran) were examined for Eimeria oocyst. Results: Out of 340 samples, only three from north Iran were positive for coccidiosis. Infections occurred by Eimeria leuckarti. The mean intensity of oocyst output (3-38 o.p.g.) was very low. No clinical signs of gastrointestinal disorders were noticed in horses during this study. Conclusions: In conclusion, the results of this study suggest that the prevalence of Eimeria species causing coccidiosis in indigenous breeds of horses from the North and Northeast of Iran is relatively low. These findings provide valuable insights into the health status of indigenous horses in Iran and may help guide future efforts to promote their welfare and productivity.
© 2023 The Authors. Veterinary Medicine and Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
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Publication Date: 2023-07-04 PubMed ID: 37401927DOI: 10.1002/vms3.1197Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

This study investigates the prevalence and distribution of Eimeria species, protozoan parasites causing coccidiosis disease, in indigenous breeds of horses in North and Northeast Iran. The study finds that the occurrence of this disease is relatively low in these regions.

Study Design and Methodology

  • The study conducted is a cross-sectional type where it explores the prevalence of Eimeria species, which are protozoan parasites that infect numerous animal species, particularly horses, in North and Northeast of Iran.
  • To determine the existence and distribution of Eimeria species, the researchers gathered 340 faecal samples from randomly chosen indigenous horses, with 141 from North Iran and 199 from Northeast Iran.
  • These faecal samples were inspected for Eimeria oocysts using standard coprological techniques, which include procedures and methods to identify and count the number of oocysts in the faecal matter.

Study Findings and Results

  • Out of the 340 faecal samples tested, only three samples from North Iran tested positive for coccidiosis caused by Eimeria species. These three infections were specifically due to Eimeria leuckarti.
  • Furthermore, the mean intensity of oocyst output, ranging from 3 to 38 oocysts per gram (o.p.g.), was fairly low. This output represents the amount of Eimeria parasites excreted in the faecal matter.
  • No clinical signs indicating gastrointestinal disorders were reported in the horses during this study.

Conclusions

  • The research concluded that the prevalence of coccidiosis, an infection caused by Eimeria species, in indigenous breeds of horses in North and Northeast of Iran is quite low.
  • The results of this investigation are beneficial in assessing the health condition of indigenous horses in these regions of Iran.
  • The findings can aid future initiatives to enhance the welfare and productivity of horses in the regions under study, provided that the disease can significantly impact the health and productivity of the animals.

Cite This Article

APA
Gorji FF, Sadr S, Borji H. (2023). Epidemiological study on equine coccidiosis in North and Northeast of Iran. Vet Med Sci. https://doi.org/10.1002/vms3.1197

Publication

Veterinary medicine and science
ISSN: 2053-1095
NlmUniqueID: 101678837
Country: England
Language: English

Researcher Affiliations

Gorji, Faezeh Faghihzadeh
  • Department of Pathobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran.
Sadr, Soheil
  • Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran.
Borji, Hassan
  • Department of Pathobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran.

Grant Funding

  • 56860 / Ferdowsi university of Mashhad

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Citations

This article has been cited 4 times.
  1. Lu Y, Ru P, Qin S, Zhang Y, Fu E, Cai M, Tuohuti N, Wu H, Zhang Y, Zhang Y. Epidemiological Patterns of Gastrointestinal Parasitic Infections in Equine Populations from Urumqi and Ili, Xinjiang, China. Vet Sci 2025 Jul 6;12(7).
    doi: 10.3390/vetsci12070644pubmed: 40711304google scholar: lookup
  2. Phetkarl T, Fungwithaya P, Lewchalermvong K, Sontigun N. Prevalence of gastrointestinal and blood parasites in horses of Nakhon Si Thammarat province, Thailand. Vet World 2024 Nov;17(11):2460-2468.
    doi: 10.14202/vetworld.2024.2460-2468pubmed: 39829659google scholar: lookup
  3. Rahnama M, Siamardi AA, Alipour Eskandani M, Lotfalizadeh N, Sadr S, Saadati D, Khedri J. Exploring the prevalence and impact of Ligula intestinalis infection across fish species in Sistan region, Iran. J Parasit Dis 2024 Sep;48(3):630-637.
    doi: 10.1007/s12639-024-01678-ypubmed: 39145356google scholar: lookup
  4. Faghihzadeh Gorji F, Sadr S, Eshrati H, Borji H. An investigation of the prevalence of equine filariosis in North and Northeast of Iran. J Parasit Dis 2024 Mar;48(1):163-167.
    doi: 10.1007/s12639-023-01643-1pubmed: 38440766google scholar: lookup
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